Outside of the quarterback position, Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner has some good pieces to play with on offense. We looked at running backs on Wednesday, and Turner has the power ground game in place with running back Adrian Peterson. He also has the deep passing threat with some of the wide receivers and tight ends on the roster.

The Vikings finished 23rd in pass offense last year, averaging 214.2 yards. They didn’t have a 1,000-yard receiver, which was more a reflection on the inconsistency at the quarterback position. Greg Jennings led the unit with 68 receptions, 804 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

Wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson also had four receiving touchdowns to go along with three rushing and two on kickoff returns. He was eased into the game plan and proved to be just as dynamic in the final month of the season and former Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin. Patterson could be in line for a monster sophomore season with Turner as his offensive coordinator given how Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon led the league last year in receiving yards with Jason Campbell, Brandon Weeden and Brian Hoyer as his quarterbacks.

Jerome Simpson was second on the team with 726 receiving yards, but he will be a free agent this offseason. He started his career with the Bengals in 2008, the same year Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer joined as a defensive coordinator. There’s some familiarity there, but Simpson, 28, has signed a one-year deal in consecutive seasons now with the Vikings. He said during the season he wanted to show that was worth a multi-year contract. Simpson also pleaded guilty to a third-degree DWI and careless driving charges to a Nov. 9 arrest but avoided jail time.

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said he hasn’t heard from tight end John Carlson on whether he’s made a decision to return. Carlson said retirement could be an option this offseason with the amount of concussion he’s suffered during his career.

Tight end Kyle Rudolph suffered a broken foot he suffered nine weeks into the season. Rudolph, Jennings and Patterson will be a nice trio of weapons for the next Vikings’ quarterback. That doesn’t even include wide receiver Jarius Wright and tight end Chase Ford. Both had a few solid performances last year (Wright blew right by Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman on a double move for his first touchdown catch last year) and mentioned by Spielman and some of the young talented players on the roster that Zimmer will inherit.

Matt Vensel is in his first year at the Star Tribune after covering the Ravens for the Baltimore Sun for six years. He is a Pittsburgh native and a Penn State grad. Follow him at @mattvensel.

Mark Craig has covered the NFL for 23 years, and the Vikings since 2003 for the Star Tribune. He is one of 44 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. Follow him at @markcraignfl.

Master Tesfatsion is the Star Tribune’s digital Vikings writer. He is a 2013 graduate of Arizona State and worked for mlb.com before arriving in Minneapolis. Follow him at @masterstrib.